BARNSTEAD — Two Barnstead residents were charged with stealing a handgun on Friday from the Concord District Court.

Police say the firearm belonged to the court's bailiff, who had misplaced the handgun in the court's bathroom minutes before it was stolen.

Jacob Noury, 33, and Courtney Rojek, 24, both of whom list their address with Concord District Court as 417 Narrows Road in Barnstead, were charged with felony-level theft and possession of a firearm in a court facility. They were arrested Saturday, after State Police executed a search warrant on their residence and found the firearm, said State Police Sgt. Charles Johnson.

According to Johnston, the bailiff at the court, Julie Bickford, reported misplacing her handgun on Friday. Police reviewed the surveillance video, and found that Rojek and Noury were in possession of the firearm that same day, and had walked out of the courthouse with the weapon.

“It's obvious they didn't realize they were being videotaped,” said Johnston.

He said the video shows the two suspects communicating while committing the alleged theft.

Johnston said that Noury and Rojek were at Concord District Court on Friday on official business, and court officials helped identify them from the surveillance video.

“This is the first such instance I've personally investigated in my 10 years as a state trooper,” said Johnston. “I have never investigated a crime involving theft of a mislaid firearm belonging to a law enforcement or court official.”

Rojek and Noury were arrested at a tattoo parlor in Chichester on Saturday, said Johnston.

The two were arraigned via video on Monday. They are currently incarcerated and held on $10,000 cash bail. The probable cause hearing on their charges has been scheduled for Feb. 8 at 10 a.m.